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The wolf breathes hard for a few moments but then nods, accepting the aid, turning his head away from me and closing his eyes like he’ll just pretend I’m not human as I work.

Jeanie nods and turns to me. “Don’t let him push you around.Anyof them. Hold your boundaries andcallme or one of the wolves if they give you any shit.” She raises her voice and turns back to the patient. “Anyshit at all.”

The wolf snarls, rough and violent, but doesn’t otherwise move or speak.

I exhale slowly and nod to Jeanie, hoping she sees the gratitude behind my tense expression.

I work efficiently with the wolf I’m treating. He growls answers to my necessary questions, but lets me work on the very deep cut to his stomach. I call Arbroth over when I’ve done what I can, and she looks over the man, letting him know that she thinks he’ll live but – like so many others – needsto be transported to a more serious medical facility as soon as possible.

The wolf snarls but does not offer any further protest.

Arbroth wraps a gentle hand around my arm and pulls me a few feet away, frowning as she looks me over. “Are you all right, Nadia?”

I set my shoulders back, doing my best to tuck my temper away. I look up into his face, staying steady. “I’m good, doctor. Thank you for asking.”

She nods slowly, looking me over. “Take a break if you need it, even in the middle of the exam. Many of these patients are volatile. If you lose your temper…”

I nod, dropping my eyes, realizing that she’s right – and that she’s not being a jerk either. Arbroth has just apparently become very quickly aware of the fact that I’ve got issues keeping my temper. I have since I was a kid – it’s part of who I am. And while I’ve generally found ways work through it, Arbroth’s just letting me know that today is not a day for slips.

“I get it,” I say, nodding to her, willing calm into my heart, imagining it spreading through my veins. “I’ll keep a cap on it.”

“All right,” she murmurs, quite softly. Then she gives me a professional pat on the shoulder and hands me my next case sheet before she strides away. I smile, watching her go, admiring her very much. I wish I could be that calm and cool at all times.

I roll my shoulders and take a deep breath, heading to the next bed. Jeanie catches my eye from across the room and gives me a nod. I nod back, quite grateful for her silent offer of help if I need it.

By the time midnight rolls around and my shift ends, I amveryready for it.

I step out of the tent and stretch my back, looking around for a place to rest. My eyes catch on a bright flash of red hair by the fire, and I look over to see Grace and Shayne eagerly wavingto me. I start towards them, my footsteps only hitching a little when I notice the very large, dark form sitting to Shayne’s right.

Stupid wolves. I need a wolf break tonight, but, of course, the universe intuited this and decided it wasn’t done messing with me, so it sent the future King of the wolf people to hang out with my girls.

I don’t say a word to Cole as I step close. I just glare at him and then deliberately flick my gaze to the sliver of space on the log between him and Shayne.

When I look back up at Cole’s face, eyebrow raised, his mouth slowly spreads into a smile. “Oh, Nadia,” he says, graciously moving aside and leaving plenty of space on the log. “Would you like to sit here between me and Shayne?”

Grace scoffs. “Don’t let herdothat to you, Cole!”

“Thank you, how kind of you to think of that,” I murmur, settling myself primly next to Shay and leaning against her a little bit.

“You brat,” Grace says, leaning around Shayne to glare at me. She lifts a mug from the ground at her feet. “And to think, I was going to give you this hot chocolate –“

I groan, reaching for it –

But Grace shakes her head, pulling it away.

“What’s going on?” Cole murmurs.

Shay sighs, looking over me toward Cole as I bend nearly in half to get the cup from my demonic, withholding friend.

“Apologize to Cole!” Grace snaps.

“No!”

Shayne softly pats me on the back as she addresses the Prince. “When Nadia gets frustrated and overwhelmed, she either needs to go to an empty space and shout at the sky for a few minutes or eat a lot of sweets. Or both, which is ideal.”

Cole hums, considering this. “Everyone has their own ways of coping with the stresses of the day.”

I huff when Grace finally gives in, passing the still-warm mug of cocoa to me. I take a long sip, savoring the sweetness on my tongue, letting my shoulders curl in and my eyes fall shut.